What Better Way
by siany
Summary: Really what better way was there to spend Christmas Eve than ice skating with friends?


What Better Way

For Browneyedmami on livejournal

Usagi was quite proud of herself. Not only had she managed to get Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna to agree to a temporary lapse in their usually stringent 'protection protocol' but she had also convinced two of the Three Lights that it wasn't such a bad way to spend Christmas Eve. Promises made and everything.

The rest of her friends had been in the moment she'd suggested it, more than a little enthusiastic at the prospect of spending the night with their teenage idols. She hadn't expected any less from them, even if there hadn't been strikingly handsome and famous men thrown into the mix. They hadn't really done anything fun together since the newest mess had started, and they all needed a break from it.

Really what better way was there to spend Christmas Eve than ice skating with friends?

It had been a fairly long time since Usagi had last attempted ice skating. Really she'd only chosen the activity because Makoto liked it so much and it was kind of the done thing at this time of year. For all she was supposed to be good at it - had been in her past life - Usagi still fell flat on her face the moment whoever was unlucky enough to be helping her let go of her hand. That there were so many people going to be there that night, she could easily be passed around so as not to be a hindrance to any one person for an extended period of time. Perfect.

The moon princess glanced at her watch again, noting that she was a tad later than she'd been planning to be. Having so many people attending also meant that everyone needed a gift and Usagi was unaccustomed to the weight of the bag on her back.

Speeding up to a jog, Usagi found herself catching up to Ami and Minako, on their way to the meeting point. The girls exchanged greetings before hurrying on, anxious not to be the last to arrive.

They need not have worried too much. While all of her senshi were present, it was the Three Lights who arrived last, including the unexpected (albeit silently brooding) Taiki.

"Merry Christmas, Dumpling!" Seiya called out as the trio jogged the last few meters to where the women waited. "Sorry we're late. Our photo shoot ran long and Yaten insisted on going home to change into something pretty."

Yaten shot his companion a look that could peel paint, but didn't verbalise his complaints.

"Well, should we get going?" Seiya went to take Usagi's arm but Haruka got there first. Completely ignoring him, the older woman laced one arm around her princess and began to escort her towards their real destination.

When they arrived the place was dismally empty. Usagi stopped, letting out a confused and slightly concerned 'eeeh?'

"They're not closed, are they?" She asked no one in particular, peeking around the unoccupied admission booth.

"Actually, I hired the whole place out. We wouldn't get any peace let alone room to move if just anyone was allowed in." Seiya admitted, a smug little smirk twisting his lips.

Usagi looked like she couldn't decide if she should yell at him for monopolising the popular attraction or thank him for being so thoughtful. In the end she did a little of both, crossing her arms and admitting he had a point before offering a small smile to show she didn't mind too much.

Those who didn't own skates were fitted for hired ones, their personal effects stashed in lockers and soon everyone was on the ice.

Usagi stood on the edge, just watching for the moment. Everyone was so elegant, she noticed, or at least no one fell down. Even Hotaru, whose first time it was on the ice, only needed a helping hand for a minute or two before she was making her own tentative way around the rink.

Typically Minako had latched onto Yaten the moment they were both on the ice. Taiki had managed to escape that particular fate and was now in a deep and rather heated debate with Ami and Makoto as they circled. Probably about something that would make Usagi's head hurt.

"What'chya waiting for?"

Usagi let out a rather undignified squeak and lost her footing at being startled out of her thoughts. Strong arms caught her, steadying and drawing her back up. Crisis averted, Usagi looked up at both the cause and salvation. "Seiya, make some noise when you come up to a person!" She complained loudly, brushing off nonexistent snow from her clothes with one hand while the other was firmly on the rail to stop her from falling again.

Seiya laughed, just the tiniest hint of teasing to it. "I made plenty of noise; you just need to learn to pay more attention."

"So," he began again after a moment, "what_ are_ you waiting for?"

"Well I, er..." Usagi trailed off, feeling her cheeks begin to heat up. She'd forgotten to factor Seiya into her plans for assistance. "I can't... really..."

"You can't skate..?" the youth finished for her, and true to form burst out laughing.

"Hey! I can skate just fine!" Usagi protested. "Just not on my own..." She added less vehemently.

Seiya wasn't having excuses though; he seemed to be finding it hard to breath and needed to lean on the side too to keep his balance. "You can't- and yet you make the party a skating- can't even!" He managed between breaths, oblivious to the red and steaming Usagi.

Someone else pulled up beside them then and Usagi was more than grateful to look up into the smiling face of Haruka. "Merry Christmas, Kitten." Haruka murmured in that deep voice of hers. Usagi beamed up at her, echoing the sentiment.

"So what's so funny?" Haruka asked then, turning her (now less than warm) gaze on Usagi's classmate.

"Nothing." Seiya replied quickly, sobering instantly.

"Want to skate with me?" She asked, holding out a hand for the girl to take.

"Really?" Usagi clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling.

"Hey, I was just about to ask her that!" Seiya interjected, but Haruka had already taken Usagi's hand and was leading her further out onto the ice.

Not one to be outdone, Seiya skated after them.

"So what are you doing tomorrow?" Seiya asked, getting in front of the pair and skating backwards.

Usagi, teasing already forgotten, leapt into an explanation of her planned day. "Well first I have to spend the morning with Mama and Papa and my little brother- and sister! Can't forget her..." Usagi giggled nervously before continuing. "We'll open our presents and have a really big lunch with some of other relatives and then I was going to have an afternoon nap before I tried to call Mamo-chan. I'm sure he'll answer this time..." That last sentence had been a lot quieter than the rest of her spiel. She quickly shook her head though. "But then I thought I'd spend the rest of the day playing video games. How about you two?" She asked, looking from one to the other.

"Well-" Seiya began but Haruka interrupted.

"Michiru and I were going to visit some graves, perhaps eat out for dinner with Setsuna and little Hotaru. We-"

"_Taiki_, Yaten and I have a Christmas day concert tomorrow night." Seiya pushed in. Gliding back to Usagi's side he took up her hand so that Usagi had someone to steady her on both sides. "You should come if you're not doing anything. I'm sure I can get you a ticket even though it's been sold out for at least a month."

Haruka and Seiya both glared at each other, silently competing for dominance. Neither won, but they broke their gaze after a moment, turning their heads away from each other.

The exchange went completely over Usagi's head (both figuratively and literally) and she continued to skate, chatting merrily as she went.

The group skated for a good hour and a half before a break was called and everyone made their way off the ice. There was a group of seats set up on a flat patch of snow just off the rink and they all sat down except Usagi, who wouldn't sit still until she'd produced a snow angel, completing it with a halo drawn in with her finger.

Two ladies from the snack bar handed out hot chocolate, tea and coffee while the guests mingled, talking to those they hadn't encountered while skating. Usagi, despite the efforts of both Haruka and Seiya, managed to settled herself down between Michiru and Rei as she finished her hot drink.

At some point Makoto had produced a homemade Christmas cake, already cut into pieces and that too was shared around.

"Presents!" Usagi called out once she thought enough time had passed. They all went back to collect their things from the lockers and converged at the chairs again. The gifts exchanged were mostly small things, but that didn't mean there wasn't thought behind them. There was a lot of moving around until all the gifts had been given.

"Oi, Dumpling."

Seiya stood one hand in his pocket, the other hanging at his side. It was all together a rather cool stance and several of the younger girls cooed, clinging to the key chains they'd received as joint presents from the Three Lights trio.

"Hey, how come I didn't get anything?" Usagi whined with a pout. She glanced at the others' gifts then back at Seiya, lower lip almost touching her nose.

"Well..."

Pulling something from his pocket, Seiya held it above their heads. Usagi looked up to see what it was and the idol leaned forward, planting his lips at the edge of her own. The soft kiss lasted all of a second before it was over and the Mistletoe was shoved unceremoniously back into his pocket.

"A kiss from a shooting star." He murmured, leaning back from the startled and decidedly red Usagi.

Haruka was positively fuming, her fingers clenched into fists and shaking from the strain of holding herself back. It was probably only Michiru's hand on her shoulder that was really stopping the woman from advancing on the bold youth in the first place.

Seiya looked like the cat that ate the canary - that was until a snowball slammed right into his smug gob.

Laughter emanated from more than one location. Evidentially Yaten, as well as several of Usagi's friends seemed to find it hilarious. Looking around, the Starlight pinpointed the location of the projectile and wasn't at all surprised.

Haruka held another snowball in her hand, tossing it up and down to emphasise her smirk.

If it was war she wanted then it was war she would get! Seiya ducked down and quickly formed his own ball of snow, throwing the object almost immediately. It sailed straight for Haruka's head, but at the last moment she ducked and wham! It exploded on Yaten's forehead.

Chaos ensued.

What started out as a grudge match quickly devolved into laughter and girls screaming as they were hit with compacted ice.

The night didn't last much longer than the battle. It was already late and everyone needed to get home so they weren't too tired tomorrow. That and most of them were a little wet from all the snow.

Goodbyes were said and people began to leave, filing off in twos and threes so no one was walking home alone.

"Thank you, you two, for keeping me company tonight." Usagi said, coming to where Haruka and Seiya had been verbally sparing. Of course they stopped instantly, standing up straight as she addressed them. "When I'm with everyone I don't feel so lonely."

Usagi smiled and Haruka and Seiya formed a momentary truce, each taking one of her hands to place a gentle kiss on pale skin.

"You're welcome, Kitten."

"Any time, Dumpling."

Really what better way was there to spend Christmas Eve than ice skating with friends?


End file.
